GENERAL MAP OF JAMAICA .................................................................................................................2 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................................3 CHAPTER I ...................................................................................................................................................5

JAMAICA AND THE UNCCD – WHY THE JOURNEY.........................................................................5 CHAPTER II ...............................................................................................................................................10

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: PHYSICAL, GEOLOGY, CLIMATE, BIO-DIVERSITY..............10 GEOPHYSICAL ...................................................................................................................................10 CLIMATE .............................................................................................................................................13 BIO-DIVERSITY..................................................................................................................................16

CHAPTER III ..............................................................................................................................................19 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: POLITICS, POPULATION, ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, UNEMPLOYMENT, POVERTY .............................................................................................................19

POLITICS..............................................................................................................................................19 POPULATION......................................................................................................................................19 ECONOMIC ACTIVITY......................................................................................................................21 UNEMPLOYMENT..............................................................................................................................22 POVERTY.............................................................................................................................................23

CHAPTER IV ..............................................................................................................................................24 LAND DEGRADATION IN JAMAICA AND ITS CAUSES .................................................................24 DEFINITION OF DESERTIFICATION ..........................................................................................24 SERIOUSLY DEGRADED AREAS OF JAMAICA............................................................................25 PHYSICAL AND GEOLOGICAL .......................................................................................................25 DROUGHT IN JAMAICA AND ITS EFFECT ON THE LAND ........................................................25 HISTORY..............................................................................................................................................26 HUMAN ACTIVITY ............................................................................................................................27 Policy Design and Resource Management ............................................................................................29 THE QUESTION OF RESOURCES ....................................................................................................31 Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................31

CHAPTER V................................................................................................................................................33 ACTIONS TAKEN TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF LAND DEGRADATION..............................33

Actions taken before UNCCD membership ..........................................................................................33 Existing Policy and Legal Framework for Land Degradation and Sustainable Land Use ............................................................................................................................................34

Legislative Environment ....................................................................................................................37 Actions taken since UNCCD membership ............................................................................................38

CHAPTER VI................................................................................................................................................41 DRAFT NATIONAL ACTION PROGRAMME......................................................................................41

DEFINITION ........................................................................................................................................41 OBJECTIVES........................................................................................................................................41 ENABLING ENVIRONMENT.............................................................................................................42 TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY .................................................46 REGIONAL CO-OPERATION ............................................................................................................48 INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION ................................................................................................48

CHAPTER VII ..............................................................................................................................................50 FUTURE STEPS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE NAP .....................................................................50

Creation of a National Co-ordinating Body (NCB)...............................................................................50 Distribution of draft ...............................................................................................................................50 National Launching ...............................................................................................................................50 Local Workshops...................................................................................................................................51 Compilation and technical review .........................................................................................................51 2nd National Workshop........................................................................................................................51 Submission to Government ...................................................................................................................51 Launching of the NAP...........................................................................................................................51

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM ON THE NAP PROCESS.............................................................................52 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................................53 SOURCES.....................................................................................................................................................55

GENERAL MAP OF JAMAICA

INTRODUCTION The present document is the first draft of what is intended finally to be the National Action Programme (NAP) to combat land degradation and drought in Jamaica. From the outset it must be understood that the main purpose of this document is to serve as a basic working instrument in the process of the development of the NAP. In other words, the intention here is to relate some basic guidelines which would provide food for thought to get the process going, as Jamaica seeks to accomplish this necessary task. The development of any national programme must of necessity involve the entire nation more or less, for the simple reason that it seeks to address a national issue. Land degradation and drought are issues in which every Jamaican has a stake. The land provides the habitat for each citizen and without proper supplies of water life would become rather uncomfortable to say the least. Apart from this, land is one of Jamaica’s basic fundamental resource, it therefore needs to be protected, enhanced and properly managed if the best results are to be gained from it, and if it is to be maintained for use by future generations. In this document a description of the problem is provided and the methodologies, strategies and mechanisms which might be used for resolving the same are suggested. The ideas shared here are in no way comprehensive or exhaustive but rather are based upon the limited actions and studies done as regard land degradation and the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Jamaica. In the preparation of this document, use was made of other available reports and programmes as regards sustainable development and the protection of the environment in Jamaica. From the available information it is clear that Jamaica does have a land degradation problem which will intensify if the issue is not addressed now. It can be assumed taking a prima facie look at our surroundings that land degradation is not really a problem but Caribbean history has shown that ignoring this problem when its in its embryonic stages could lead to catastrophic consequences. Our neighbour, Haiti is a classic case in point.

It is hoped that Jamaica will in the very near future begin the process of mobilization of the relevant stakeholders in the nation with the intention of creating its National Action Programme. This is a process which will take time and resources, but as is said by the Chinese the longest journey begins with the first step. This document is intended to be that first fundamental step. Finally, it must be appreciated that it is quite possible that many areas that should have been covered in this draft were not, for this we apologise in advance, but would once again like to reiterate that the intentions here was not to create the National Action Programme of Jamaica, but to provide a useful working document which would be of value in the process of the development of the same.

CHAPTER I

JAMAICA AND THE UNCCD – WHY THE JOURNEY The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is one of the so-called Rio Conventions aimed at securing sustainable development through international co-operation. In truth and in fact this Convention is the only one that might truly be called a Rio convention as it is a direct result of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) which took place in Rio in 1992, sometimes known as the earth summit. The UNCCD is the result of a two-year negotiating process under the auspices of the United Nations. After 1992 and UNCED, an intergovernmental negotiating committee was set up with the task of preparing this international instrument by June of 1994. The Convention was adopted in Paris in June of 1994 and was opened for signature in October of the same year. At present, there are more than 170 parties from around the world including all 14 independent states of Caricom and all 33 states of the Latin American and Caribbean region. As stated in its Article 2, the objective of this international instrument is to “combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, particularly in Africa, through effective action at all levels, supported by international corporation and partnership arrangements, in the framework of an integrated approach with a view to contributing to the achievement of sustainable development in the affected areas.” The Convention therefore provides an international legal basis for cooperation among state parties and other international entities in the fight against desertification and thereby allows for the transfer of resources from where they are to where they are needed in this struggle which is of universal concern. Desertification is a serious environmental problem which many countries in all parts of the world confront. An estimated I billion people directly suffers from the negative consequences of this

plague which are social, economic, medical and of course environmental. It is a condition which has troubled the countries of Africa with devastating effect in some areas. It is a global concern which needs global effort and global solutions, hence the relevance of the UNCCD. The UNCCD has a permanent secretariat which is based in Bonn, Germany, and has the central responsibility of facilitating the implementation of the Convention through assisting affected country parties in the realization of various actions at the national, regional, inter-regional and international levels aimed at achieving the objective of the same. Jamaica became a party to the UNCCD after its accession on 12 November 1997. The convention came into force for Jamaica in 10th March 1998. Since that time, various actions have been taken by the Government of Jamaica to ensure fulfillment of its obligations as regards this treaty. At the national level, a national focal point was created in 1997 based in the then Ministry of Public Utilities and Transport. The focal point is presently based in the Ministry of Water and Housing and is the direct responsibility of a Senior Director of that Ministry. The focal point is responsible inter alia for maintenance of direct communication between the Convention’s Secretariat and Jamaica and for the coordination, planning and supervision of all UNCCD related activities at the national level. Since the establishment of the focal point office, a number of activities aimed at realization of UNCCD objectives at the national level have already been carried out. First among these was the holding of a national awareness seminar which was held in March 2000. This event saw the participation of relevant government agencies, non-government organizations as well as persons from the private sector and the scientific community. The main objective of this event was as its name implies, to create national awareness of land degradation and drought in Jamaica and to come to common agreement as to what are some of the basic steps that should or could be taken to help address the problem. A national youth forum was held which involved secondary school students from more than 20 different secondary schools around the country.

A working committee on land degradation and drought involving relevant technical agencies, government departments and NGOs was established and is chaired by the National Focal Point. One of the main task of this committee was to develop the basic broad framework and guidelines for UNCCD implementation at the national level. It should also be mentioned here that the UNCCD focal point is an integral part of the Sustainable Development Committee of Jamaica, a body which is made up of representatives of all relevant government agencies and department concerned with creating a sustainable development plan for the country. In March 2000 Jamaica submitted its first national report to the Secretariat of the Convention. This report was a comprehensive review of actions taken by the Government of Jamaica in its quest to carry out its obligations as regards the Convention. The report was presented to the Ad Hoc Working Group of the UNCCD at its meeting in Bonn, Germany in 2001. Here the report was reviewed by the Secretariat and all Parties to the Convention. At the regional level Jamaica has been making its contribution to the UNCCD process wherever possible. The UNCCD is organized in such a way that there are regional meetings held for the various regions, generally at an interval of one year. Jamaica has been represented at six meetings missing only the first. These meetings are concerned with UNCCD implementation at all three levels, namely national, sub-regional and regional. Consequently, the issues affecting implementation at these levels are discussed. The 33 country parties in the Latin American and Caribbean region have already developed a regional action programme which covers inter alia: 1. The development of a regional information system on drought

and desertification in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

2 A programme for the harmonization of public policies as regards these issues.

3 A programme for education and capacity building. 4 Programmes covering the involvement of youth and women in

the process. Jamaica being a member of Caricom has sought to work closely with the other members of this community at this level as the

problem we face are common and our political and historic experiences are likewise. In this regard Jamaica has given strong support to measures concerning the Caribbean community and has in particular given full support to Haiti, which has the most serious land degradation problem in the entire Caribbean. Jamaica was very instrumental in the development of the project “Protecting Bio-diversity by Preventing Land Degradation in the Small island States of the Caribbean” which has been submitted to the GEF and is presently being considered by that body. This project involves all the English speaking territories with the exception of Belize and Guyana and seeks to promote the protection of the bio-diversity on the islands by preventing the degradation of their habitat, namely land. Jamaica has also made available its technical expertise in the area of land degradation to the UNCCD Secretariat and this has been and is being employed to assist the other Caribbean territories in UNCCD implementation. In May 2001, Jamaica was host to the UNCCD organized workshop on “The Integration of the Priority Areas of Land Degradation into the ACP/EU Cotonou Agreement.” This event was attended by all 16 Cariforum countries including the Republic of Cuba. The participants discussed the financing of projects to address the problems of land degradation in the Caribbean through using the mechanisms provided by the aforementioned ACP/EU agreement. At the international level, Jamaica has attended every Conference of the Parties of the Convention, since the second held in Dakar, Senegal, in 1998. There have been five Conferences of the Parties so far. At this level Jamaica has shown its commitment to the process in various ways. Its representatives has been involved in every aspect of the process including in the areas of science and technology, financing and the negotiation of Secretariat budgets,

supporting the just positions of the group of 77 and China and cooperating with the donor agencies and countries with the aim of creating an enabling environment for the effective implementation of the UNCCD. Jamaica is the present Chair of the Committee on Science and Technology and will be for the next two years. The country was unanimously elected to serve in this position during the 5th Session of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention recently held in Geneva, Switzerland. This election in itself is recognition by the international community of the role Jamaica has played in UNCCD implementation at all levels. But as supra dictum the UNCCD is a Convention which seeks to address the issue of desertification, and as is common knowledge, Jamaica has no deserts, but, as can be seen, Jamaica has been working on the UNCCD implementation at all levels and while not with marvelous successes in every area there can be no doubt of the commitment of this country to the process. The logical question therefore is: why the journey? The present document should provide answers to this question among others for inasmuch as Jamaica has no desert the realities of this island’s landscape demands national commitment to the implementation of the UNCCD in Jamaica.

CHAPTER II

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: PHYSICAL, GEOLOGY, CLIMATE, BIO-DIVERSITY

GEOPHYSICAL Jamaica has an exceptional diversity of topography and geology with approximately half of the island being above 1000 metres which influences its various microclimates. It is the largest English speaking island in the Caribbean and the third largest of all the Caribbean islands. It is located 145 km south of Cuba, 850 km south of Miami and 1,000 km north north-east of the Panama Canal. Located in the north-western Caribbean Sea and centred on latitude 18o15’ N and longitude 77o20’ W, Jamaica is elongated along a west-north-west – east north-east alignment roughly 230 km long and 80 km wide at its broadest. Its area totals 10,991 square km. (see Fig. 1) Fig. 1

Topographically, Jamaica consists of a highland interior formed by a series of mountain ranges along the major west-north-west to east-south-east axis of the island. The eastern two thirds of the island’s mountain range have elevations up to 1,000 meters and the Blue Mountain range to the east reach a maximum height 2,256 meters. The mountains, hills and plateaux of the central and western region are primarily limestone while the Blue Mountains are volcanic in nature. The Central mountain ranges form the main watershed for rivers, which drain either to the north or south except for the Plantain Garden River, which drains to the east. Flat coastal plains surround this Central highland ridge. The coastal plains are narrow on the north coast and tend to be wider along the south coast. These include flat alluvial areas such as the

St. Catherine, Clarendon and Liguanea Plains on which Kingston is built. The coastal plains and the interior valleys are the prime agricultural lands of the country. (See Fig. 2) Fig. 2 The geology of the island consists of three groups of rock types, quaternary alluviums, tertiary limestone and igneous and metamorphic rocks. The soils of the country are a reflection of the geology. About 60% of the island’s bedrock is white limestone, 25% is volcanic and cretaceous, 10% alluvial and 5% yellow limestone. The soils of the upland plateaux are formed from weathered limestone, while alluvial soils are located on flood plains, river terraces, inland valleys and coastal plains. (See Fig. 3)

CLIMATE The climate of Jamaica is mainly sub tropical or tropical maritime. The most important broad-scale climatic influences are the North East Trade winds and the island’s orographic features, (mainly the central ridge of mountains and hills). Other influences are the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, as well as synoptic weather systems, primarily the Azores-Bermuda high-pressure system, surface, mid and upper level troughs, frontal systems, easterly waves, tropical depressions, tropical storms, hurricanes and infrequently, the inter-tropical convergence zone. Apart from diurnal changes, rainfall is the dominant meteorological variable that influences the meso-scale fluctuations of temperature, humidity, sunshine and evaporation. Similar to all the other countries of the Caribbean, Central America and the Southern and Eastern sections of the United States Jamaica is impacted from time to time by severe tropical weather systems including tropical waves, tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes. The official hurricane season is from June to November, although cyclones have occurred outside this period. El Nino Southern Oscillation Effect (ENSO) The 1997/98 El Niño phenomenon had its strongest impact on record on the Caribbean region. The 1998 hurricane season was especially devastating with long lasting effects resulting from hurricanes George and Mitch1. ENSO effect is believed to have had an impact on the climate of Jamaica through decreased rainfall, higher temperatures and the effects of the decreased number of hurricanes in the region during 1997/98. Rainfall for the period January – December 1997 was below the thirty-year normal for the entire year with April and May having rainfall reduced by twenty nine (29) and thirty one (31) percent of the thirty-year normal rainfall, respectively. For the period January – December 1998 rainfall amounts were below the thirty-year normal for the months of February, April to June and August to September. The months of April and May received 40 percent and 39 percent respectively of normal rainfall.

These climatic changes resulted in millions of dollars of losses to the agricultural sector due to loss of crops, livestock and reduced crop yields. Domestic water supply was also severely affected and potable water had to be transported to the areas most affected. Rainfall Jamaica’s rainfall is marked by its monthly, annual and spatial variability and to a lesser extent by seasonal rainfall patterns. Of the weather patterns affecting Jamaica rainfall is the most variable. Fig. 4

Annual Rainfall (mm)1951-1980

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1951

19

53

1955

19

57

1959

19

61

1963

19

65

1967

19

69

1971

19

73

1975

19

77

1979

During the period 1951 to 1980 (Figure xxx) annual rainfall ranged from a high of 2593 millimetres in 1963 to a low of 1324 millimetres in 1976 with an average of 1940 mm annually2. The average rainfall during the period was 1895 millimetres. The wettest year on record is 1933, with an annual rainfall of 2960 millimetres, while the driest year is 1920 with 299 millimetres, easily demonstrating that Jamaica can experience very dry conditions. Rainfall Distribution Northeastern Jamaica receives the highest annual rainfall, in excess of 5080 mm while parts of the southern coastal plains receive less than 1270 mm annually. Water shortages are common especially along the southern coastal plains. Rainfall patterns for parishes are shown in Fig 5. Illustrating the spatial distribution of Jamaica' s rainfall.

Fig. 5

2 Climate of Jamaica Meteorological Services

Rainfall Distribution (mm)Parishes (1951-1980)

01000200030004000

Claren

don

St. Cath

e...

Kingston/...

St. Ann

Trelaw

ny

Manch

ester

St. Jam

es

St. Eliz

abeth

St. Mary

Westm

or...

St. Thomas

Hanove

r

Portland

Source: Meteorological Services Jamaica's annual rainfall is bimodal. Peaks occur in May and October and lows in March and July. The two distinct wet seasons therefore are April to June and September to November. These wet seasons occur as regular yearly cycles. Average number of rain days vary from 60 to 200 days annually. Areas with less rain days receive lower annual rainfall; however, regions with more rain days are not necessarily the wettest areas. In the eastern region of the Blue Mountain Peak 180 rain days produce more than 5200 mm annually, but the same 180 rain days produce only 1500 mm on the north coast. Evapotranspiration Evapotranspiration data in Jamaica are not readily available for all climatic stations. Pan evaporation data for Norman Manley International Airport is used as a fair approximation of Potential Evapotranspiration according to the Pennman Method. Based on available data, the following table outlines long-term (1951 -1980) monthly evapotranspiration values in millimetres. (See Fig. 6) Fig. 6

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY 126 124 152 158 171 JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT 184 188 182 154 134 NOV DEC ANNUAL 125 122 1820 Annual evapotranspiration for the south coast, the driest sections on the Island is estimated to be approximately 1820 millimetres. In many areas of the coastal regions of the south, annual evapotranspiration exceed rainfall by more that forty percent. These assessments however have to be carried out using more precise methodologies. As is known, for crop sustainability, apart from annual amounts of rainfall, its distribution is also of importance. This is one area that also needs to be examined in greater detail for areas along Jamaica's south coast.

BIO-DIVERSITY Comparatively speaking, Jamaica’s bio-diversity might rank low in numbers but is very important to the world’s bio-diversity due to the fact that many of the species found on the island are endemic thereto. Current estimates indicate that at least 3304 species of vascular plants occur in Jamaica of which 923 or the equivalent of 27% are endemic. The island has more endemic plants per sq. km than any other Caribbean island and it is know that several new species of plants and animals are discovered each year. It has been suggested that at least 427 species of plants found in Jamaica are in need of special consideration because of their actual or potential rarity. It must be pointed out however that the most recent list of flora on Jamaica was published more than 10 years ago and there is urgent need for a new analysis as the knowledge of flora on the island is incomplete. As regards forest cover, the most recent assessment was carried out in 1998. This show that 32% of the total land area of the island can be considered forest. 8% of the island is classified as closed broad-leaved forest with little human disturbance while

the rest is classified as disturbed broad-leaved forest having varying degree of human disturbance or dry open forest. (See Fig. 7) Fig. 7 Proportion of Jamaica covered by Forest The marine bio-diversity of Jamaica is extremely rich and varied. The living marine resources are found on the island shelves and 9 organic banks that have a total area of 4117 sq. km. These marine resources include fishes, invertebraes and several marine mammals ranging from manatees to whales as well as a diverse plant community. Agriculture is an important economic activity for the well being of Jamaica and the agricultural plant biological resources comprise two principle groupings, classified as traditional and non-traditional. The former consists of crops grown since the days of colonialism, as traditional export products namely, sugar, banana, cocoa and citrus. The latter group consists of a variety of tubas, herb, spices, vegetable and horticultural crops. Jamaica has a number of the traditional domestic animals and there is of course the Jamaica Hutia or coney which is the islands endemic land mammal and depends on forest cover for survival.

It must be noted here however, that there is a serious gap in the scientific information on the wide ranging bio-diversity of this island and there is need for studies to be done to determine the status as it relates to the population distribution of different species starting from fungi and bacteria and ending with plant and animal life on the island.

CHAPTER III

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: POLITICS, POPULATION, ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, UNEMPLOYMENT, POVERTY

POLITICS From 1655 Jamaica was a colony of Britain and part of the British Empire until 1962 when it became an independent nation but decided to maintain its membership of the British Commonwealth. It also decided to continue practicing Westminister style parliamentary democracy where elections are held usually every 5 years and where every citizen 18 and over have the right to elect and be elected. The political system of the country is made up of political parties, trade union movements, NGOs and women and youth organizations. There is respect for law and order and the political structure allows for the free expression of ideas and views. The basic law of the country is the Jamaica Constitution established in the year of independence and there is the division of powers between the executive, judiciary and the legislature. The courts system of Jamaica allows for a series of appeal with the highest court of the land being the British Privy Council based in London. The legal system for all intent and purposes is British with common law and statutory law providing the legal norms on which the society functions. Because of the system of democratic elections the popular mass can in one way or the other directly influence the development of policy and the action of the government of the day. This is significant as it means there is a mechanism which allows people to participate in governance. POPULATION The population of Jamaica was estimated at just over 2 ½ million people in 1999. (See Fig. 8) According to available statistics the population grew by 0.77% and this figure was influenced in large part by migration. As Fig. 8 shows Jamaica’s population is very young and based upon projections there could be a greater growth rate in the next 2 decades as is shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 8 POPULATION OF JAMAICA BY AGE AND SEX, 1995 AND 1999 NUMBERS PERCENTAGES 1995 1999 1995 1999 Age Group

Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females

Total 1 243 610 1 256 400 1 292 100 1 298 300 100.0 100.0 Total Pop. 2 503 300 2 590 400 0-4 144 200 138 080 145 300 142 400 5.8 5.5 5.6 5.5 5-9 131 830 130 430 133 400 133 500 5.3 5.2 5.1 5.2 10-14 131 310 132 090 125 900 128 100 5.3 5.3 4.9 4.9 15-19 123 190 122 410 121 500 126 300 4.9 4.9 4.7 4.9

20-24 122 410 122 440 112 800 117 100 4.9 4.9 4.4 4.5 25-29 112 100 114 370 113 000 116 700 4.5 4.6 4.4 4.5 30-34 102 340 101 210 108 400 104 300 4.0 4.0 4.2 4.0 35-39 81 230 84 450 99 400 90 600 3.4 3.4 3.8 3.5 40-44 61 040 61 360 73 900 74 500 2.4 2.5 2.9 2.9 45-49 47 360 47 130 55 800 54 100 1.9 1.9 2.2 2.1 50-54 41 690 39 860 47 900 42 900 1.7 1.6 1.8 1.7 55-59 35 380 33 670 38 600 35 500 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 60-64 30 600 30 170 34 100 30 200 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.2 65-69 27 610 29 380 30 100 28 600 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.1 70-74 19 570 22 950 21 900 25 700 0.8 0.9 0.8 1.0 Over 75 31 750 46 400 30 100 47 800 1.3 1.9 1.2 1.8 Fig. 9 Population Growth Scenarios for Jamaica 2020 2025 2050 ‘000 ‘000 ‘000 High 3,413 3,530 4,682 Medium 2,933 3,245 3,801 Low 2,700` 2,948 3,027 Jamaica like all the island states of the Caribbean is a relatively very small country. Population density will most likely increase in the next 2 or 3 decades based upon the figures as given above. This will bring about important socio-economic changes which would no doubt affect all areas and sectors of the nation.

ACTIVITY Agriculture From since the days when the island was peopled by the indigenous indians better known as the Arawaks through to colonialism and then unto independence, the capacity of the land to produce has always been fundamental to Jamaica’s survival. In the pre-colonial days the Indians gathered their fruits and other necessities from the land, the coming of the Spaniards and later the English led to the intensive search for precious metals in the like of gold and silver. With the establishment of the British, as the colonists of the island and the introduction of commercial products for export to Europe, large scale plantation agriculture took hold in Jamaica and exist to this day. In the earlier days it was such crops as tobacco, and sugarcane and with the fall of slavery in the middle of the 19th century coupled with fall of the price of sugar on the European market, other products had to be found. By the beginning of the 20th century, banana was the new economic giant that dominated the agricultural landscape of Jamaica. Today, agriculture as an economic activity in Jamaica comprises the production of sugar, banana, citrus, coffee most of which are exported, as well as a host of tubas and other crops which meet the demands of a thriving local market. Agriculture accounts for employment of at least 25% of Jamaica’s labour force and while there are large plantations as has been previously mentioned, small-scale farming also plays a fundamental role in ensuring the vitality of this sector. Small-scale farming has been important to Jamaicas agriculture and economy from since the days of slavery but with the abolition of the same it became an inalienable part of the countries economy in many ways and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. Mining With the discovery of bauxite, mining became a major economic activity in Jamaica. This has led to foreign bauxite companies controlling about 10% of the land area of the country, which is equal in size of Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Vincent, combined. Jamaica is a net exporter of mineral products and mining provides about 10% of the GDP of the country and employs between ten to fifteen thousand people. It is one of the major foreign exchange

earner and consequently a main pillar on which the Jamaican economy stands. There is a national mineral policy which is aimed at ensuring a sustainable mineral sector and demands among other things that once minerals have been removed from the earth, the soil must be replaced and trees planted. Even with these positive actions it must be said that mining occurs in the areas of human habitation and naturally affects human life. Apart from this it demands the necessary disturbance of the land area being mined and this also contributes to land degradation. Tourism Like all of its Caribbean neighbours tourism is a key aspect of economic activity in Jamaica. This industry which is based on the islands beaches and tropical weather employs around 30,000 persons and regularly earns more than 1 billion dollars in foreign exchange for the country. It therefore contributes significantly to the GDP and is one of the major areas of economic activity earmarked for further development in the future. Light Industry Apart from Trinidad and Tobago Jamaica is the most industrialized English speaking Caribbean state and has a very well developed light industrial sector which produces a variety of commodities for export mainly to the other Caricom countries. This sector employs 100,000 persons and produces 18–20% of real GDP. UNEMPLOYMENT The latest statistics on employment in Jamaica shows that the country has a 15% unemployment rate. This reality has many consequences for the social and economical landscape of the society. With the economic downturn presently being experienced and the added complications caused by the recent experiences of September 11 this situation is unlikely to improve in the very near future.

POVERTY According to recent reports Jamaica has 23% of its population living below the poverty line. And while these figures may fluctuate from time to time, over the last decade the more than 20% figure has been constant. This reality is another factor which has its social, economic and environmental consequences for the nation. It is reflected for example in the way lands are used for housing, as squatting on steep slopes is rather prevalent. It is also reflected in the labour sector as poor people in rural areas are forced to farm non-arable and sometimes virtually inaccessible areas just to ensure their survival.

CHAPTER IV

LAND DEGRADATION IN JAMAICA AND ITS CAUSES DEFINITION OF DESERTIFICATION As was pointed out in chapter one of the present document, Jamaica has no deserts in the layman’s understanding of the term and based upon this accepted view, the first conclusion might be that the UNCCD has no meaning for Jamaica. This conclusion might be correct only if one takes a prima facie look at the land situation in Jamaica and also if one ignores the definition of desertification as given in the Convention. In Article 1 of the Convention desertification is defined as “ land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities.” Based upon this definition, and taking existing realities in Jamaica into consideration as will be highlighted in this chapter it is clear that land degradation exists in Jamaica and will increase significantly if it is not addressed soon. Apart from the issue of land degradation the Convention also seeks to address the problem of drought. Accordingly, its article 1C describes drought as “the naturally occurring phenomena that exists when precipitation has been significantly below normal record levels, causing serious hydrological imbalances that adversely affect land resource production systems.” While there are some 120 rivers in Jamaica it is common knowledge that drought is no stranger to the island, and from short spells of little rain to phenomenon such as El Niňo, all affect Jamaica. As a matter of fact, it is well known that certain areas of the country suffer from drought on a yearly basis and the Ministry of Water has been taking different steps and measures including the purchase of special water delivery trucks to address the problem.

SERIOUSLY DEGRADED AREAS OF JAMAICA While land degradation in Jamaica is not as serious as in some parts of Africa or even like that in its Caribbean neighbour Haiti, it is a problem that must be confronted. Some of the more seriously degraded areas of Jamaica are to be found in the southern coastal sections of the parishes of Clarendon, Manchester and St. Catherine with some of the worst areas being on the southern coastal borders areas of Manchester and St. Elisabeth. This degradation is the result of both climatic factors and human activity most of which is discussed below. PHYSICAL AND GEOLOGICAL A general description of the physical and geological nature of Jamaica was given in Chapter 2. As can be seen from that description the island has a high land interior formed by a series of mountain ranges along the major west north west to east south east of the island. The eastern part of the island includes the Blue Mountain range which rises well over 2000 meters in height. Taking into account this topography and the fact that Jamaica gets a plentiful supply of heavy tropical rain this is certainly an ingredient in the recipe for serious soil erosion from which Jamaica suffers greatly. The topography of the island coupled with its climate means that unlike in some other situation Land Degradation in Jamaica is often times caused by too much water. DROUGHT IN JAMAICA AND ITS EFFECT ON THE LAND A clear definition of drought has not been fully agreed on internationally. Whilst agreeing in principle that this phenomena relates to the absence of water for use, there have been definitions for Agricultural drought, hydrologic drought and meteorological drought. In Jamaica, the Meteorological Service has the mandate to declare drought conditions according to the draft National Drought Response Plan and as a result, Meteorological drought has been agreed on to be the condition experienced when rainfall amounts are 60 percent or less of normal over a

period of eight consecutive weeks. Extreme drought, if the amounts are 21 – 40 percent of normal, and severe drought if rainfall is 20 percent or less of the "normal". Normal is the thirty (30) year average. However an important point in assessing drought is that different areas have different water needs. Similar rainfall deficiencies may have dramatically different effects on different areas. Jamaica’s mean annual point rainfall varies from about 762 millimetres in coastal regions of both the north and south to over 7,620 millimetres in the Blue Mountains. Regions with average annual rainfall of 5,080 millimetres or more, will with a deficiency of fifty percent, still have sufficient water. Whereas, regions with an annual average of 1016 millimetres sometimes experience serious water stress with a rainfall deficiency of 20 percent of normal. The years 1964 and 1965 were regarded as drought years in Jamaica, Island-wide the recorded deficiencies were eleven percent (11%) and twelve percent (12%) respectively. In 1967 it was twenty seven percent (27%) although there were individual stations with deficiencies of up to eighty percent (80%) and during the twelve-month period July 1972 to June 1973, the deficiency was twenty percent (20%) with individual stations down by as much as sixty percent (60%). Jamaica experienced extreme drought conditions, during the period December 1996 to January 1997 and March to May 1997. Normal drought conditions (i.e. 60% or less of the 30 year normal for eight consecutive weeks) were experienced during the period May and June 1997 as well as April to June 1998. Some of the driest areas in the country can be found in Manchester, St. Andrew and Clarendon. HISTORY

The coming of the colonialists, firstly the Spaniards and later the English signaled a fundamental change in life on the island and its economic activities and therefore in human relation to land. The Indians who populated Jamaica before the arrival of the Europeans lived generally in harmony with the surrounding environment and this meant that up to 95% of the island’s bio-diversity including its forest was left untouched. With the coming of the Europeans and the change of the economic status of Jamaica from an island of indigenous Indians to a colony meant to produce raw material for the Empire it was inevitable that land status and relations would change. The colonists set about clearing the forest for the production of various crops for the European market as was explained in Chapter 3. Jamaica historically is more fortunate than many of its Caribbean neighbours for example Barbados and St. Kitts where all forests were virtually destroyed to make way for agricultural production, still for all, today only about 30% of the country can be considered as forest. The Europeans ensured that all the lands that could be used for agricultural purposes were concentrated in their hands and even after emancipation when the slaves were freed there was little land which they could use for cultivation and were therefore forced to cultivate many steep hills and slopes to meet their economic requirements. While the latter experience gave birth to what today is known as Jamaica’s small scale farming, this has also created another of the important ingredients in the recipe for land degradation, in that cultivation of hills and slopes demands clearing of the land and the inevitable exposure of the soil to degradation. This is a serious problem in many areas of Jamaica and with the growth of population and no decrease in the level of poverty there is a genuine possibility that the problem could become worse in the future if it is not addressed now. This historical fact as to land tenure in Jamaica and its contribution to present day land degradation on the island must not be understated and there is obvious need for further reform in this area. HUMAN ACTIVITY Agriculture

Much has already been said about agriculture in Jamaica and how it affects lands in the previous sections. In this section what needs to be pointed out are the following facts 1) While the country has developed an agricultural policy the

question of proper land use and the productivity of soil needs added attention. Apart from this agriculture is too important to the economy of Jamaica for it not to be dealt with scientifically. Poor agricultural practices inevitably leads to land degradation.

2) The question of land tenure and how it affects farming in

particular small farmers must be addressed so as to reduce the amount of slope and hillside farming which has so contributed to land degradation and is very evident in many parts of the country.

Housing As was said previously, the negative consequences of poverty are reflected in many different forms in the society and one of these is in the area of housing and squatting. Some Jamaicans are too poor and lack the means of providing themselves with proper housing and are therefore forced to occupy lands by building illegally, also known as squatting. Recent figures show that at least 1.7% of householders are squatters. The significant thing here is where the squatting is done, on hillsides and slopes, and this is another of the causes of land degradation. (See Fig. 11) Fig. 11

Logging and Forest Fires Illegal logging for the burning of charcoal and the occurrence of bush fires are factors that contribute to land degradation in Jamaica. The cutting of yam sticks also contributes significantly to this problem. In all three cases the land is robbed of its vegetation or forest cover and left bare to the elements of wind, rain and sun. The combined action of these erodes the soil thereby impoverishing the same and causing it to lose its productivity. The Ministry of Agriculture which has responsibility for forest has realized the serious nature of these problems and has now indicated that it will be developing a new forest policy in which special attention will be paid to the issues of forest fires, charcoal burning and the cutting of logs for the production of yam sticks. Policy Design and Resource Management Jamaica’s forest policy and water and drought policy are only in drafts and have not been fully adopted. It is clear that in order for

the land of Jamaica to be properly protected there is need to ensure that there is proper policy as regards to the same. The island has at least 14 different government agencies which have statutory interest and often competing and conflicting interest in the land. There is therefore a dire need for cooperation and coordination between the relevant government and other interested parties in dealing with land issues. The lack of relevantly trained cadre in areas of forestry, agriculture and other sectors means that the human resource to design and implement policy as well as to manage land resource is as in other Caribbean countries limited. As regards the question of policy it should also be mentioned that there is not full appreciation in some circles as to the nature and scale of land degradation in Jamaica and it is therefore not treated as a priority. This will have to change if the land degradation issue is to be properly addressed. Management of a country’s resources is the business of all the people of that country and this is even more true when one speaks of land. For the land is the habitat of all irrespective of class, creed occupation or social status. They are all therefore, stakeholders and have a role to play in ensuring the sustainable use and development of land. In the case of Jamaica as in many of the Third World countries, the populace at large do not necessarily understand the dynamics involved in the efficient and effective management of land resources and this leads to poor management practices the consequence of which is land degradation. Population Pressure and the Poverty Factor While Jamaica’s population is not growing by astronomical figures, as was pointed out before the most recent statistics points to a constant increase in population over the next decades. This therefore means there will be greater demand for resources including land resource and the products derived thereof. Consequently, there will be greater pressure on the land as this is finite in size and Jamaica is already a small island. The question of

land degradation could therefore become more acute if relevant measures are not put in place. The link between poverty and land degradation is well established and there is no need here to discuss this further, however, as was pointed out earlier the historical nature of land tenure in Jamaica has disenfranchised many in the society and has forced them to turn to very poor and unsuitable land as a means of escape from their poverty. So with the best agricultural lands firmly in the hands of a small affluent minority, the increasing numbers of rural poor, convert more and more of the forest of the hilly interiors into crop lands. They often use slash and burn agricultural methods which further increases the land degradation problem. Apart from this many of the rural and urban poor have remained dependent on forest for fuel and charcoal for cooking thus further increasing the demand on the forest resources of the island. The government of Jamaica has developed a programme on poverty eradication and the issues of hillside and slope farming as well as that of squatting are key areas being addressed by this programme. It is expected that with implementation of the UNCCD and the development of the NAP these programmes would be enhanced. THE QUESTION OF RESOURCES Jamaica like its Caribbean counterparts faces the problem of serious limitation of resources to deal with the problem of land degradation be these human, financial or otherwise. Jamaica is a developing country with a rather large foreign debt (estimated at around 4 billion USD) and the country is sometimes forced to choose between survival of today and environmental protection for tomorrow. It is clear that there would have to be an injection of new resources if the problem of land degradation is to be addressed successfully. Conclusion The problem of land degradation is not as serious in Jamaica as in other countries. The fact remains however, that it is a growing problem and Jamaica is not like Brazil where when a piece of land is exhausted the farmer can move on to another plot. There are

simply no new lands to turn to. This is why addressing the problem of land degradation must be done now, for Jamaica is a small island and when the very limited land becomes useless, the only place left to move to is the sea. In other words, it is a simple case of prevention being better than cure. Were Jamaica to leave the situation to itself, it would not long before the land degradation situation becomes malignant and by that time it would be too late. Therefore the problem must be addressed now.

CHAPTER V ACTIONS TAKEN TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF LAND DEGRADATION

Actions taken before UNCCD membership Before accession to the UNCCD Jamaica’s efforts in dealing with the issue of land degradation were primarily through the enactment of various pieces of legislation. Most of these were legislation that dealt with different aspects of the environment and were not necessarily designed and enacted to address the specific case of land degradation. The information provided here is basically a reprint of information concerning this subject given in Jamaica’s 1st National Report on the implementation on UNCCD, produced in April 2000.

Jamaica’s current environmental legislation provides a basic framework for conservation and sustainable land use. There are at least fifty-two (52) pieces of legislation that have aspects related to environment management. Prior to independence, the protection and management of natural resources was vested in the crown and implemented through Government Agencies. The passing of the Harbours Act in 1874 prohibiting the pollution of selected marine waters marked the early commitment to environmental conservation. The period up to the 1960’s, saw the passing of a number of laws chiefly geared towards the regulation of natural resource exploitation. As signs of degradation became more evident, additional legislation providing for and enhancement of the resource were enacted. New committees, authorities and commission emerged. This institutional network suffered from shortage of technical staffing, which is a major issue of concern for developing Small Island States, with limited resources. The result: fragmented and often ineffective approach to environmental management. The Natural Resource Conservation Act passed in 1991 established the Natural Resource Conservation Authority as a statutory body with primary responsibility for environmental management. The Authority functions as the government’s umbrella agency for environmental matters.

Jamaica has been one of the most successful Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in a number of environmental projects approved and completed under a bilateral debt reduction programme between the United States of America and Jamaica signed in 1991. Existing Policy and Legal Framework for Land Degradation and Sustainable Land Use The first piece of relevant legislation passed in relation to environmental management was the Harbours Act. Adopted in 1874, the legislation sought to prohibit the pollution of selected marine waters mainly as a result of disposal from ships and boats. Currently Jamaica is in the process of reviewing or developing several policies and legislation relevant to sustainable land use. These include: the Forest Land Use Policy, The Forests Policy and the Forrest Act (1996), the Wildlife Protection Act, which is currently being amended to include provisions on protection of plants; a Watershed Policy and Draft Watershed Act, a revised Beach Policy, and a bill is being enacted to support implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Jamaica Country Environmental Profile, produced in 1987, identified several critical issues and constraints to effective management, including then, a lack of a clear national policy on the environment, deficiencies in the institutional structure for environmental management, and shortages of financial and technical resources, along with low levels of public awareness. The Jamaica National Environmental Action Plan (JANEAP) 1995, was prepared by the Government of Jamaica (GOJ), to document the major environmental problems facing the Country and to formulate the appropriate policy framework, institutional arrangements, legal instruments, strategies and programmes and projects to address and mitigate these problems. The Jamaica National Industrial Policy (1996), was developed by the Government of Jamaica, in recognition of the uneven growth that has taken place in the Country over the past two decades and to deal with the changing international environment. It’s goal is to sharpen focus on issues of investment, productivity and growth, and provide the necessary framework for clear concise and

coherent set of policies to guide the Jamaican economy, taking into account sustainable development. The Jamaica National Land Use Policy (1996) was developed to establish a framework for the proper planning, management, development and use of land in recognition of the finite nature of the land resource and advocacy for its sustainable use. It keeps as its focus the view that land in Jamaica including the foreshore, terrestrial waters and exclusive economic zones is a finite resource, which must be used as a national asset for sustainable development of the country. Fig. 12

International Instruments to which Jamaica is a Party* INSTRUMENT STATUS EXECUTING

AGENCY/FOCAL POINT

International Plant Protection Convention Rome, 1951

Accession:24 November, 1969

Convention on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, Geneva, 1958

Accession: 8, October 1965

Convention on the Continental Shelf, Geneva, 1958

Accession: 8 October, 1965 Entry into force: 7 November, 1965

Convention on the High Seas, Geneva, 1958

Succession: October 1965. Entry into force: 30 September 1962

Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living Resources of the High Seas, Geneva 1958

Succession: 16 April1965 Entry into force :20 March 1966

Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, Paris 1983.

Acceptance: 14 June 1983

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by dumping of Wastes and other matter (as amended) London, Mexico City, Moscow [Washington] 1972

Ratification: 22 March 1991.

Convention Concerning the Protection of the World

Acceptance: 14 June 1983

Cultural and Natural Heritage, Paris 1983. Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by dumping of Wastes and other matter (as amended) London, Mexico City, Moscow [Washington] 1972

Ratification: 22 March 1991.

International Convention on Prevention of Pollution from Ships, London, 1973

Ratification: 13 June 1991

Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, London, 1973

Ratification: 13 June 1991

United nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Montego Bay, 1982

Ratification: 12, March 1983

Convention for protection and development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region, Cartegena de Indias, 1983

Ratification: 1 May 1987

Protocol concerning Cooperation in Combating Oil Spills in the Wider Caribbean Region

Entry into Force: 1, May 1987

Vienna Convention for Protection of the Ozone Layer, Vienna 1985

Accession: 31 March 1993 Entry into force 29 June 1993

Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer, Montreal 1987

Instrument of accession Deposited 6 January 1995. Effective: 5 April 1995

London Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

Ratification 31 March 1993

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, New York 1992

Instrument of accession Deposited 6, January 1995 Effective 5, April 1995

Convention on Biological Diversity, Rio De Janeiro, 1992

Accession, 6, January 1995 Effective 5, April 1995

MEH/L. Barnaby

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Accession: 23 April 1997 Entry into Force 22 July 1997

NRCA/Y. Strong

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl habitats (RAMSAR Convention)

Accession : 7 October 1997 Entry into Force: 4 February 1998

NRCA

The Copenhagen Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances

Accession: 7 November 1997 Entry into Force: 4 February 1998

Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought

Accession : 12 November 1997 Entry into Force: 16, March 1998.

Ministry of Water & Housing/ P. Brown.

*Source – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. Legislative Environment No specific legal enactment currently exist that point to the need for the country to use the land resource in a sustainable way. There are policy indications that the issue is considered serious and will be dealt with, however, there have been no enactment so far. A short review of some of the pieces of Legislation that are in some way may require amendment to take into consideration activities dealing with land degradation point to the following pieces of legislation: 1. The Agricultural Development Act 2. The Bauxite and Alumina Industries (Encouragement) Act 3. The Bauxite and Alumina Industries (Special Provisions) Act 4. The Bauxite (Production Levy) Act 5. The Coffee Industry Regulation Act 6. The Country Fires Act 7. The Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Act 8. The Education Act 9. The Flood Water Control Act 10. The Forest Act 11. The Irrigation Act 12. The Keeping of Animals Act 13. The Land Development and Utilisation Act 14. The Main Road Act 15. The Mining Act 16. The National Water Commission Act 17. The Natural Resources Conservation Act 18. The Pesticides Act 19. The Parishes Water Act 20. The Road Traffic Act 21. The Rural Agricultural Development Authority Act 22. The Sugar Industry Control Act 23. The Water Resources Act 24. The Watershed Protection Act 25. The Endangered Species Act

Actions taken since UNCCD membership

Chapter 1 of the present document gives a good synopsis of actions undertaken by the government of Jamaica since the country became a Party to the UNCCD. There is therefore no need to repeat these here. Consequently, this section would focus on the major activity carried out by the responsible body to try and address the land degradation issue.

One of major causes of land degradation in Jamaica is the lack of awareness as to the problem. The Government has therefore decided that creating awareness at all levels is a first and foremost task if the problem is to be addressed. To this end a number of activities and actions were undertaken and are being undertaken to create national awareness and thereby stimulated the relevant change in behaviour.

A national awareness seminar was held in March 2000. This event was used to promote public awareness on the issue. There was newspaper coverage, radio and television interviews and the involvement of a broad cross-section of the society. One main result of this activity was the creation of the basic guidelines and ideas on which the future development of a National Action Programme for Jamaica would be based. The event afforded participants the first real opportunity to exchange views on the problem and allowed for the connection of all stakeholders in such a way that a basis for a platform for national action has been created. There was also distribution of UNCCD documentation on land degradation to various schools around the country.

The Ministry of Water which is the Ministry responsible for UNCCD in Jamaica has through the local focal point, constantly and consistently promoted the idea of the need to address the land degradation issue. The issue was therefore taken to the Sustainable Development Committee of Jamaica where ways and means were discussed as to how it can be best integrated into the overall sustainable development strategy of the country.

A working group on land degradation has been created. This group includes relevant technical expertise from pertinent government agencies as well as NGO’s. The plan now is to broaden this committee to include relevant community based organizations private individuals independent experts as well as representatives of the private sector. It is hoped that this committee will blossom into being the national co-ordinating body for UNCCD implementation in Jamaica.

Attention has now been turned to the actual creation of the National Action Programme for UNCCD implementation. In this process consideration is being given to the development of relevant mechanism for the creation of an enabling environment to facilitate this national process, hence the creation of this first draft which will serve as a working document.

The Ministry of Water as focal point for the UNCCD appreciates the importance of building synergies between this Convention and the other sustainable development conventions, namely the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on Climate Change. To this end, great attention has been and is being paid to co-ordination of activities between the respective government agencies which act as focal points for the other conventions and there is the direct working together and sharing of information whenever and wherever this is necessary. While a lot has been achieved in this sphere the Ministry is aware of the need for the enhancement of this process for it will guarantee inter alia the better management and use of limited resources and avoidance of unnecessary duplication.

Attention is also being paid to the ways and means of the integration of UNCCD related activities into already existing projects and programs as well as into future activities which have some bearing on this issue in one way of the other. The Ministry of Water is convinced that an integrated approach is one of the better ways of guaranteeing greater success in the UNCCD implementation at the national level. To this effect, efforts are presently being made to have land degradation considered in the Country Support Strategy and National Indicative Programme of Jamaica as regards the Cotonou Agreement.

It must also be noted here that Jamaica places great importance on working with the other countries of the Caricom region in the implementation of the UNCCD both at the national and sub-regional level. The reasons for this are many but it is first and foremost the fact that in most cases the problems are common and will be better handled in co-operation with others and also this would be another way of more efficient and effective use of the limited resources in the region.

CHAPTER VI

DRAFT NATIONAL ACTION PROGRAMME DEFINITION In accordance with Article 9 of the Convention, affected developing country parties to the convention shall prepare a National Action Programme to combat land degradation and drought. A National Action Programme is really a tool which would guide the country in its actions for the realization of the objectives of the UNCCD at the national level. Taking into consideration the positions of Article 4 of the Convention as well as article 9 and 10, a National Action Programme can be described as a plan containing a diagnosis of the causes of land degradation and drought in the particular country and the sum total of all activities, actions, plans, programmes, and strategies, designed and approved by stakeholders for combating the same. OBJECTIVES The objectives of the National Action Programme can be divided into 2 main groups which are as follows: General The objective of the National Action Programme of Jamaica in general terms is in keeping with those as spelt out by the Convention in its Article 2 which is in essence to contribute to sustainable development in affected areas by attacking the causes of land degradation. Specific The specific objectives of the NAP for Jamaica includes a) Prevention of land degradation in areas which are susceptible

but which the process has only just began. b) To stop land degradation in areas where the process has

already reached an advanced stage and to take measures to ensure the recuperation and improvement of the lands in these areas

c) To ensure the proper management and use of all lands on the

island in such a way as to ensure that land degradation does not occur or is kept to the minimum.

d) Development of a proper early warning system for drought and the strategy to lessen or to mitigate its negative consequences.

e) The creation of an efficient and effective information network on land degradation and drought.

f) To ensure positive change in behaviour of the inhabitants of affected areas to increase their production and wealth while helping to achieve sustainable development.

ENABLING ENVIRONMENT In order to achieve the stated objectives of the National Action Programme, it is necessary that an enabling environment is created. In other words, it is of crucial importance that a proper methodology, the correct strategies and the necessary mechanisms are in place and working. It therefore means that certain necessary activities and concrete projects must be put in place. In the case of Jamaica the following are among those which will be necessary for the creation of this enabling environment. The creation of national awareness of the problems of land degradation. As was indicated in Jamaica’s first national report to the UNCCD and also its report to the UNFCCC as well as its first report on Biodiversity, there is a serious lack of awareness on the problems as regards the environment. This problem is more acute in the case of land degradation and exists at all levels, from the policy making right down to grass roots.

There is therefore a consequential need for the development of a programme which addresses the issue of national awareness. This must be done both formally, that is, through existing learning institutions from primary right up to tertiary, and informally, that is, using radio, television, newspapers and all other forms of mass communication. To change this situation of the lack of awareness, a lot of time and commitment would be required as well as resources. Development of benchmarks and indicators

A serious problem identified in the national report of Jamaica to the UNCCD and in those of many other Eastern Caribbean countries, is the almost total absence of benchmarks and indicators on drought and land degradation in the Caribbean sub-region. It is impossible to clearly determine the level of degradation taking place and also the effects of measures taken to address the same if there is an absence of the relevant tools. Consequently, for efficient and effective implementation of the UNCCD in Jamaica as well as the rest of the Eastern Caribbean islands, it is clear that the issue of development of benchmarks and indicators must be urgently addressed. It is also clear that these must include physical and geophysical indicators, biophysical indicators as well as, social and economic indicators. Prioritizing the lands of Jamaica as regards land degradation and drought. At present Jamaica has no maps which clearly demarcates the areas most affected by land degradation and drought. Apart from this, no specific studies have been done to determine the areas where the problem is most urgent and needs to be addressed as a priority. The NAP will address this weakness so that the competent offices concerned will have the specific knowledge as to the areas of the country which must be addressed as a priority both in terms of land degradation and drought.

This prioritization will also address the needs of each particular area and the specific measures which must be taken to address these needs.

The question of soil loss

In Jamaica and the rest of the English speaking Caribbean tons and tons of soil are lost annually. These losses are caused by many different factors including the climatic conditions and the geophysical nature of the countries. While some assessment has been done there is no data which shows the actual amount of soil loss taking place and also what might be some of the practical, biological and physical measures that might be taken to address the same. The NAP will therefore seek to address the problem of soil loss as this is a main cause in land losing its productivity in Jamaica and the rest of the region.

Review and improvement of relevant national policies Jamaica has already developed policies or drafts of policies in the areas of agriculture, land use and zoning, forestry, water and drought, the control of greenhouse gases and the protection of certain species of bio-diversity. For the prevention of land degradation and the implementation of the UNCCD to be effective it is important that these policies be reviewed and developed from a land protection standpoint. It is therefore an objective of the NAP to encourage and or facilitate review of the same with the objective that more attention be paid to the land dimension in each. Creation of an information network The problem of lack of awareness has been touched on time and again in this document. For people to make informed decision they must have easy access to correct information. One of the activities to create an enabling environment for the implementation of the NAP would be the creation of an information network where the average stakeholder can easily access and make use of pertinent information as regard land degradation and drought. This is the information and technology age and an information network is a necessary tool which would allow for better implementation of the NAP as it would allow inter alia: 1) Easy access to information 1) easy transfer and sharing of information 2) allow stakeholders to be participants in the network on

drought and desertification for the Caribbean and Latin America (DESELAC)

3) It will allow for the easy storage and retrieval of information.

Development of specific projects Once the NAP has been approved specific projects in the following areas would be developed: a) reforestation b) protection of water catchement areas c) programmes for the enhancement of farming practices d) project on the protection of riverbanks e) codification of all laws dealing with the issues of land

f) relevant scientific studies as regards the nature of soils in Jamaica

g) Development of benchmarks and indicators Creation of Relevant Mechanisms While Jamaica has a working committee on land degradation there is need for the establishment of a national co-ordinating body for the implementation of the UNCCD. This body should comprise representatives from all relevant government agencies technical experts from the University of the West Indies and other pertinent institutions, representative of the NGO and CBO communities. This body shall play a key role in co-ordination between the various agencies as regards land issues thereby ensuring that due attention is paid to the land question in the development of programmes and projects that might affect the same. There might be need for the development of other institutions or bodies for example committees relating to legal and financial matters but these would be determined at a later stage of the development of this programme. Strategies on Synergies Jamaica like all Third world countries suffers from a chronic shortage of resources in many areas. It is therefore very important that the limited resources that the country possesses should be correctly and wisely used. Creating synergies between the Rio conventions and other relevant international instruments in the area of implementation is one positive way of wisely using resources in achieving common objectives. This NAP will be based on building these synergies when and where possible to ensure effective and efficient implementation.

Capacity Building

As indicated in the paragraph immediately preceding this one, shortage of resources is a key concern for Jamaica. This shortage exists in many areas including in the human resource field. The NAP to combat land degradation and drought will place great emphasis on addressing the problem of capacity building through training exercises, development of enabling environments by acquisition of relevant technology and information and by ensuring

that the quality and quantity of human resources available to assist in the implementation process is significantly increased.

The development of an early warning system on drought Drought is a serious and persistent problem in some areas of Jamaica and the government has been making committed efforts in trying to find solutions to the same. The development of an early warning system is crucial if these efforts are to have significant success. Creation of necessary linkages In Jamaica there are many agencies and institution working in various aspects of sustainable development, many of which have to do with issues of land. The NAP of Jamaica will be so designed to ensure that full use is made of these mechanisms in the implementation of the same. These links will also be established with relevant sectors of the economy for example eco-tourism, mining and construction. Further to this, the NAP will be so structured that it fits as part of the overall national sustainable development programme thereby ensuring that the issue of land degradation receives the attention it deserves at the policy making level. TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY The use of traditional knowledge in the protection of land in Jamaica is not as popular as was in the past, for example in the area of farming there used to be a lot of row and contour farming as well as the use of terraces. These are hardly practised anymore. Further to this traditional knowledge is in some areas rejected in preference to the use of modern technology as there is a belief that this is always better. But while this might be appropriate in some cases this is not always what is best. The National Action Programme will therefore pay attention to addressing the area of the rejuvenation of the use of traditional knowledge as well at the introduction of science and technology

and finding the correct and proper balance between the same in an effort to address the issues of land degradation. FINANCING Finding the necessary financial resources for the implementation of projects is one of the most difficult tasks for most Third world countries. Jamaica is no exception. The implementation of the NAP is going to require significant funding and the sources of these will have to be located. In the short-term the following are areas that might be tapped: LOCAL

i) Using resources from existing budget lines covering matters of

the environment ii) Using possible private sector sources iii) Co-operating with NGOs in the area of financing. INTERNATIONAL i) Accessing funds from relevant agencies including UNCCD,

GEP, UNEP, and the UNDP

ii) Co-operating with traditional donor partners including Canada, USA, and Britain

In the long term, the following options will have to be considered. LOCAL i) The establishment of a budget line specifically for land

development ii) The creation of a national environment fund iii) The possibility of the introduction of an environmental tax

INTERNATIONAL i) Introduction of the round table mechanism and seeking

support from a wider donor community. ii) Broadening the scope of co-operation with the relevant

international agencies iii) Promoting the co-operation between local and international

NGOs for the implementation of specific projects. REGIONAL CO-OPERATION As indicated in Chapter one of the present document, since becoming a Party to the UNCCD Jamaica has paid special attention to co-operation with the other Caricom member states as regards this issue. It is clear from the resources standpoint and based on the fact that many of the problems are common and also Jamaica’s geographic location that it is not only wise but necessary that Jamaica co-operate with the other countries of this sub-region in the implementation of the Convention. The proposed co-operation would allow for the following: a) the sharing of relevant information. b) the exchange of experiences c) the sharing of technical and professional expertise d) the development of a common approach where that is necessary e) the development of a sub-regional action programme. INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION As pointed out under the section on finances, Jamaica on its own does not have enough financial resources for effective and efficient implementation of the UNCCD. Consequently, there is need for international support and co-operation in this area. Apart from that, there is also the need for international co-operation at the technical level in terms of increasing the human resource capacity as well as enhancing the science and technological base that is necessary for an enabling environment for proper implementation.

The NAP therefore will pay special attention to this area, especially under the section dealing with the implementation of specific projects.

CHAPTER VII

FUTURE STEPS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE NAP As outlined in the introduction of this document the NAP as presented in Chap. 6 is basically a first draft and is only the basic working document from which a NAP to be adopted by the relevant government authority will be prepared. It therefore means that this working document must of necessity go through different stages before the final product is designed and agreed upon by the stakeholders concerned. This Chapter is basically to outline these stages and what they would entail. These stages are as follows: Creation of a National Co-ordinating Body (NCB) The creation of the NCB is essential as it will be the body responsible for the co-ordination of activities relating to the development of the programme as well as its implementation. This body will include relevant government agencies, NGOs, CBOs, technical expertise and other stakeholders. Distribution of draft The above-mentioned committee will then prepare and distribute relevant numbers of copies of this draft to be circulated to all concerned so that it may be studied and comments, queries and the like made and sent to the NCB for further action. National Launching There will be a national launching of the NAP development process where a national workshop will be held and all relevant

stakeholders as well as technical experts will be invited to participate. This workshop will among other things: i) review the composition of the national co-ordinating body ii) review the existing draft of the NAP iii) advise on setting up of other committees if need be Local Workshops There will be a series of local workshops to provide stakeholders at the local level the opportunity to make their input into the development of the NAP. This is in keeping with the UNCCD principle of a bottom-up approach and thus ensuring mass participation. Compilation and technical review At this stage, the draft will be reviewed taking into consideration all the comments and queries made during the events held from the day of the national launching. After this a new draft will be prepared and this draft will then be sent to all stakeholders for further comments and changes if need be. 2nd National Workshop A second national workshop will be held where participants will review the new draft and make changes where necessary. Special emphasis will be placed on the inputs to be made by members of the scientific community to ensure that the future NAP is scientifically sound. Submission to Government The final document will then be submitted to the Government Cabinet for its approval and sanction. Launching of the NAP

The 3rd National Workshop will be held where the launching of the NAP will take place with the intention of setting the stage for actual implementation.

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM ON THE NAP PROCESS

COMPILATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS TECHNICAL REVIEW

LOCAL WORKSHOPS

SECOND NATIONAL SEMINAR

COLLECTION OF COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

DISTRIBUTION OF NEW DRAFT

PREPARATION OF NEW DRAFT

NATIONAL SEMINAR

PREPARATION OF FINAL DRAFT

SUBMISSION TO GOVERNMENT

LAUNCHING OF NATIONAL ACTION PROGRAMME

CONCLUSION CONCLUSION

The producers of this document performed this task with one basic intention in mind, which is the provision of a working document which can be used by those who would be directly involved in the development of the National Action Programme for Jamaica. The approach used here was not one of trying to create new information or data but rather using existing data to point to the realities of land degradation, the problems faced and some of the possible solutions that the future NAP of the country would have to take into consideration. We are of the view that the document while not comprehensive will undoubtedly serve a very useful purpose at all levels of the debate in the development of a National Action Programme. This document will therefore be circulated to all relevant government agencies, NGOs and CBOs. What is required of these counterparts is careful study and analysis of the contents of the document bearing in mind the realities and facts as they know them and then the provision of recommendations, commentaries and the like to help in the creation of a final draft. As has been pointed out in different sections of this document the development of a National Action Programme is something not for a few agencies or for two or three experts, but something that concerns the nation as a whole. As regards this process the basic principle advertised by the UNCCD is a bottom-up approach. In layman terms this can simply be described as mass or grass root participation. As can be seen from Chapter 7 of this document this principle is not only advertised but solidly embraced. Therefore the producers of this document are under no illusions that this is the final word on the NAP for Jamaica. On the contrary this is only a stimulant to begin the debate. Over the last few years Jamaica has made many strides in its efforts to address environmental problems. It has successfully done studies in different areas and produced a wealth of information as regards matters of climate change and bio-diversity.

With the development of a National Action Programme to address land degradation Jamaica will be putting its efforts at implementation of the UNCCD on equal footing with those for climate change and bio-diversity. Finally, to ignore the present realities of land degradation is a luxury which Jamaica cannot afford. Desertification is a process which begins with a reduction in the productivity of the land and finishes with the land becoming useless and barren as regards food and plant production. Jamaica is not in crisis but it is always good to remember that it is better to prevent an illness than to have to cure it.

SOURCES The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Jamaica’s First National Report to the UNCCD. Ministry of Water and Housing. April 25, 2000. Draft Progress on Environmental Sustainability in Jamaica’s Minerals and Energy Sectors. Oral Rainford. November 2001. Jamaica’s National Biodiversity Strategy. Ministry of Environment and Housing, Natural Resources Conservation Authority. U nited Nations Development Programme. Global Environmental Facility. November 1999 Jamaica’s First National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Water Resources Development Master Plan. Underground Water Authority (Water Resources Agency of Jamaica) Final Report. March 1990 Economic and Social Survey. Prepared by the Planning Institute of Jamaica. Jamaica 1999. From Plots to Plantations. Land Transactions in Jamaica, 1866-1900. Veront M. Satchell National Forest management and Conservation Plan. Draft. January 2000. Forestry Department. Jamaica Water Sector Policy, Strategies and Action Plans. Ministry of Water and Housing. November 2000. National Drought Management Plan. Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management. Draft